


Songs that weep

by Astrodraconic (CelestialKnight)



Series: Songs series [4]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Ishbalan | Ishvalan, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 17:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialKnight/pseuds/Astrodraconic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She took pictures, all of them she could see, family, friends, silly baby pictures, and some she had never seen before, some from Ishval. One was of two young children, and she could make out Amestrian military uniforms in the backdrop. It must have been during the 1900-1902 period when Amestrian soldiers were in Ishval. She looked behind to see Trisha’s handwriting, something she hadn’t seen in so many years. Behind the photograph was written ‘Rida and Noor, Farah, summer of 1902’.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Songs that weep

When the military people came, Winry had thought they were going to take her family away from her again, but talking with Riza Hawkeye reassured her ever so slightly. She at first laughed at the similarity of both Riza and Rida’s names, even how they had slight similarities, but she quickly masked that away when the officer looked to her peculiarly. They called Rida and Omid by their middle names, Edward and Alphonse. It was the name most people used, teachers and merchants alike. They didn’t always respond to it, but they got by just the same.

Hawkeye sat outside while the other one, Mustang was his name, talked to Rida and Omid about what they had done and yelled. She cringed when he yelled, she never liked the sound of yelling and never will. She had already exited the kitchen to join the 2nd Lieutenant outside and talk to her, keeping her company of sorts. She wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about the military, compared to her two friends, and talking with Hawkeye confused her more. Hawkeye, on the other hand, seemed kind, she didn’t seem like a monster, but the acts she had committed when ordered had been true monstrosities. She had someone to protect, had been her reasoning, and she saw merit in that. Winry looked back to the door, she too wanted to protect Rida and Omid, but she often felt powerless to do so, not in the same way they had helped her.

The military people had left, and she looked down to her feet worried. There was a fire in Rida’s eyes. That officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Mustang, had given him his motivation to continue on; to get their bodies back. So began the year of automail surgery and rehabilitation. Grown adults cried and screamed during this surgery, but Rida bit his lips and carried on, saying he had put Omid through far worse pain. Winry continued to connect the nerves, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry, pity and worry for these two. She continued to connect the nerves, despite her worries, her fears, she wanted to see Rida and Omid succeed. She was going to make the best goddamn automail the world had ever seen.

A year of yelling, tears and joy passed when finally Rida left to East City to take the state alchemist evaluation, escorted by both now 1st Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang. They would depart to Central, where evaluations were conducted and await one week until he returned with the verdict. Both Winry and Omid would await with anticipation.

“There’s something I need to go check on, I’ll be back in 30 minutes, alright?” Called out Winry on one of the days in their week of pending. Omid nodded his head and awaited with Den on the front porch of the Rockbell residence. He watched Winry wander out into the distance, a feeling of what she would be doing in his mind. There was always someone looking out for them, he truly appreciated that.

Winry made her way to the Elric residence. She had a feeling in her gut Rida was going to do something stupid when he got back from his examination. She was sure he was going to pass, he had been so confident about it, and if the way he kept ruining her automail had any proof to his skill, she was sure he would pass with flying colours. She investigated the house, since 1 year ago it had been abandoned by its residents, dust caked the walls. Winry coughed as she walked into a spider web, but despite all of that, everything was still as they had left it, photos still in their places on the walls, clean dishes on the counter, and she didn’t even want to think about mouldy bread in the pantry. There was a foul smell in the air, as if something had decayed. There was a strong stench of iron as well, that made her nose crinkle in disgust. She barely wanted to know what they had brought back with alchemy, and she could just barely imagine from the putrid smell that remained. She had to admit, she had been curious, she walked down the creaky floorboards of the first floor and spotted a door oppressive to the atmosphere that their home created. It gave her shivers. She reached her hand out to open the door and silence her fearful curiosity, but she stopped. Her hand trembled in front of the door knob. Did she want to know?  _Did she need to know?_ She brought her hand back to herself and shook her head. This was best left to be swept away by that stormy night. Some things weren’t meant for her to be seen.She moved along, she had one goal in mind: take anything precious to them, be it pictures and mementos and keep them for safekeeping until they would want to see them again. Yes, this was her formidable game plan.

She scourged for a bag to place all that she collected in, it might be dusty, but she could easily clean it out when she got back. She took pictures, all of them she could see, family, friends, silly baby pictures, and some she had never seen before, some from Ishval. One was of two young children, and she could make out Amestrian military uniforms in the backdrop. It must have been during the 1900-1902 period when Amestrian soldiers were in Ishval. She looked behind to see Trisha’s handwriting, something she hadn’t seen in so many years. Behind the photograph was written, ‘Rida and Noor, Farah, summer of 1902’. She delicately placed it in the bag with all the others. When she thought she was done, she returned back home, greeted by Omid who had still been on the front porch, a sleeping Den by his side.

“Is everything you checked on alright?” Winry nodded with a delighted response. Everything was perfect. Omid asked if she wanted help lugging the bag back inside, but she shrugged him off, she’s carried automail heavier than this! She placed them all delicately in her room inside a book labelled ‘Rida and Omid’, hiding it underneath her bed, for none would be the wiser to check a place so childish, nor would anyone really even look underneath her bed. She nodded contently. Now all that was left for Rida to return home.

* * *

 

Bradley eyed the birth certificates in his hands. The higher ups were pressuring him to not accept the candidate, but he couldn't care less for what they thought. It wasn’t against the law, or well it was but didn’t matter for he was the one who could remove it if he wished. Despite his Ishvalan heritage, Rida Edward Elric was a prime candidate for sacrifice, as ironic as it was. One Ishvalan certificate – his place of origin – and one Amestrian one that had been dispatched to him only a few months after he had been born, when Amestris annexed Ishval. He carefully eyed the Ishvalan birth certificate, and without another word, he placed it in one of his drawers under lock and key. He smiled to the Higher ups who looked to him incredulously.

“Are we really going to let that mutt join our ranks?” one of them slurred, Bradley cared less which one of them did, they would be gone when the Promise day came, sacrifices for a greater cause, not that he peculiarly cared for that cause either. He only followed orders and orders were that when an alchemist able to not use a transmutation circle applied, it was an immediate pass, despite age, nationality and what not.

“I don’t see the problem, he’s a fine young alchemist.” He eyed the others that surrounded him, they still seemed infuriated by his decision. He placed his hands one atop of the other on his desk.

“But he’s Ishvalan!” another cried out. Bradley picked up the birth certificate, eyeing it precariously. He tapped it lightly with his hand, and looked to those that surrounded him.

“All I see is an Amestrian citizen.” They began fuming once again, finally one of them caved in. Fuhrer Bradley was right. Despite his young age, he’s done proficiently in both practical and the small theoretical knowledge test they made him try. If he could not get accepted here, then he would go somewhere else, an enemy country like Creta or Aerugo. They couldn’t risk it. He came willingly to the people who have hurt him, his people, and if they turned him away, it could be horrible repercussions for them in the long run of it all.

Bradley smirked. It had been decided then. He placed the birth certificate down. Edward Elric had become an approved state alchemist, and he felt like he had a rather appropriate name to give the young boy proficient in metal and mineral transmutations with nerves of steel. He began to write the papers. On this day, let it be known that state alchemist, Edward Elric, had been granted the name of ‘Fullmetal’.  

* * *

 

When Winry saw Rida again once he returned home, he seemed different, as if he forced himself to become more mature for a better cause. He called her up to their home up on the hill when the sun set, her stomach swelled. From his pocket he pulled out a pair of matches and Omid passed him some branches. With a few flicks, fire whistled on the match, and without much further done, the flame jumped onto the stick and was thrown over to the house. The flames licked at the home that held memories and souvenirs past, now nothing more than scarlet on the lazy Resembool backdrop. The fire continued to be fed until the entire house was brought up into flames and Winry began to cry, for who else would? The one who began to hide his emotions more and more frequently or the one who couldn’t at all? She cried for the two boys who turned their backs on their past, who turned their backs on their home, their family and their entire culture.

“Why are you crying Winry?”

“Because someone has to.” She said in between the tears.

 

**Author's Note:**

> We get the swing in motion! After this we'll be skipping more, as not much changes from the current timeline of bh, when it does, that's when there will be a little snippet to show the changes! Thank you all for the comments and kudos you have left, it really brightens my day and makes me happy to continue writing!


End file.
